Story Book Ending
by Theatrechiclme
Summary: AU. Marley Rose is from a broken family. After being forced to go live with her father, his wife, and her two horrible daughters, her daily conversations with a certain mystery guy become the only light in her life. Based on the Cinderella Story movies. Once again, I apologize for the horrible summary!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Most little girls dream of being just like one of those Disney princesses. Me, I'm still waiting for my Cinderella story moment.

I guess you could say I haven't exactly had a charmed life. My dad left me and my mom when I was little. Even before he moved away to live with his new wife, I never saw very much of him.

My name is Marley Rose, and this is my fairytale.

My dad was constantly away on business trips, which I never thought very much of, up until my tenth birthday.

He told me that he had a weekend conference in Cleveland, and that he would be leaving right after my party.

My best friend Lindsay Matlow's dad worked for the same company my dad did, so I figured that Mr. Matlow would be going too.

Long story short, my mom and I found out that he wasn't going to Cleveland, but rather to Lima, and it wasn't for work, but instead for another woman.

So now here I am. It's been nearly six years since I last saw my father. He doesn't deserve to be called dad or, much less, daddy.

**August 9, 2012**

I stared blankly at the horrible letter that sat on the kitchen table.

"What do you mean I have to move to Lima? I want to stay here with you! He can't honestly think that after six years he can act like that hero and take me away from you," I yelled defiantly.

My mom sighed, defeated. "I don't have a choice Marls. Even if I did, your father makes a good point. Times are tough around here, you know that. I don't know how much longer I can keep my job Marley."

"Then I'll get a job too! I don't want to leave New York. What about Lindsay and Hailey? What about you?" I asked. I knew that I wasn't going to win this fight, but I had to try.

"My hands are tied kiddo. If the circumstances were different, I would say no to him immediately, but things are the way they are. He paid for your plane ticket and everything," She tried to calm me down, but I wasn't buying it. She sighed at my stubbornness before informing me that my plane left on Saturday. Beautiful. Three days until I kiss my life goodbye.

I stormed into my small room that I'm pretty sure was actually a walk-in closet at some point. All I had in there was an air mattress, a small desk lamp on a side table, and some clothes hanging on racks out in the open, further proving my closet theory. I didn't mind though. It was cozy, and it was all I needed.

I sat down on my mattress, swinging my feet up over the side. I glanced back over the letter once more.

_Marley:_

Real sincere start, father dearest.

_It has come to my attention that you and your mother are currently struggling to make ends meet back in the city. In an attempt to reconnect with my little girl, I would like to invite you to come live with me and Sue here in Lima. Please consider my proposal._

_Sincerely,_

**_Jonathan Rose_**

Listed below his name was the contact information for not only him, but his attorney and his newly-opened business in Ohio. Leave it to him to turn this into an advertising opportunity.

I scoffed instantly at one line in particular.

"You didn't contact me or Mom for almost six years, and you still think you have the right to call me 'your little girl'?" I mumbled to the letter, pretending my father could hear me.

It was no use though. I knew that this was a battle that I could never win. I couldn't exactly blame my mom, though. She was just looking out for me. Still, it didn't settle my anxiety about the idea of actually having to live with my father and the step-monster, Sue.

Sighing in defeat, I grabbed my duffel bag from underneath the side table, and began throwing things that I didn't need immediately into it. I had to face the fact: I was leaving my life behind in three days.

**Hello my beautiful readers! It's been so long since I posted anything, so here's my first chapter of SBE! Let me know what you think! New chapters every Saturday definitely, and possibly earlier if I'm in a good mood ;) So yeah, please review. Do you think I should keep going with this story? Anyways, love you all to bits and pieces!**

**XOXO**

**-Lauren**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

August 12, 2012

I've always despised airports. They always seemed so cold and heartless. Now, that hate was growing, spreading into other areas. It sounds like I'm talking about a rash, another thing that I hate. Airports always meant leaving something behind, there was always something that you had to say goodbye to at an airport.

Today was no different. After a long and tearful goodbye with my mother and friends earlier, I wasn't about to make the best of it, as my mom always told me to do. This sucked. Plain and simple, there was no real way to describe it except to say that it sucked.

"Hi!" Squealed a short blonde girl as she slid into the seat next to me.

Just wonderful, I thought. I get stuck sitting next to the chick who has enough energy to power every light in New York City.

I hoped that my silence would discourage the bubbly blonde, but she didn't seem fazed at all.

She stuck out her hand, obviously expecting me to take it. She had a lot to learn.

"I'm Avery!"

"Marley," I muttered, obviously (or so I hoped) annoyed. I didn't even bother to return the friendly gesture, in hopes that she would leave me alone.

Avery shrunk back in her seat a little bit, in defeat or maybe even fear.

God, what was I becoming? I couldn't let my stupid dad turn me into a horrible person. I just couldn't.

"I'm sorry," I offered to the small girl next to me. "It's been a rough few days and I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Hi, I'm Marley!"

She smiled weakly. "I'm sorry for whatever you're going through Marley."

As sweet as Avery was, I wasn't quite ready to spill my life story to a girl I'd met less than half an hour ago. So we just sat. In silence basically, until the plane was in the air. Then I had my ear buds in, and I was dead to the world.

-

"There's my little girl!"

I turned my head to the source of the irritating voice. There stood my father holding a cardboard sign that said my name, almost like a chauffeur. The tall woman next to him made no effort at all to look excited. A half scowl graced her face, half hidden by obviously bleached hair.

She looked even more bored than I did, if that was even possible.

"Father," I muttered back at him harshly.

He decided to ignore my tone of voice, chirping "What do you think of Lima so far, princess?"

"Do I really get an opinion?"

Sue chuckled. Maybe the step monster wouldn't be so... awful after all I thought. I can't even believe how wrong I was about that.

-

The car ride had been silent and awkward; it felt to me like the beginning of the end of my life. No more taxi cabs everywhere you looked. No more street performers and Broadway marquees on every corner. Just rows and rows of houses and shops lining the streets.

I'm what you'd call a city girl, so I am not a fan of boring, suburban life.

"We're here!" My father announced happily, though I'm not quite sure what he was so proud of.

Before the car had even fully stopped moving, I was out of that old Nissan and staring at my new house. It didn't deserve the title of home; much like my father didn't deserve to be called dad or daddy.

I stared a little bit longer before my father and Sue joined me.

"Do you always do that?" He shrieked.

"Do what?" I retorted, playing dumb. I knew he was talking about my habit of jumping out of a car before it stopped. I used to love scaring the crap out of cab drivers by jumping out before they stopped.

"You know what I mean young lady!"

Ooh, young lady! I was really scared now. Notice the sarcasm oozing from that comment.

"I don't like waiting for cars to park. Too mainstream." I shrugged passively.

He huffed and stormed in the house, closely followed by Sue.

"Thanks for the warm welcome," I muttered once they were inside.

-

I have this theory, a theory that has yet to be disproven. I believe that every blonde high school cheerleader is either a bimbo or a bitch. Guess who perfectly fits that description?

My two stepsisters did nothing to prove my theory wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure that those two basically summed up the theory in two simple names. Kitty and Brittney.

Let's start with Brittney. She was the epitome of a dumb blonde. One of my many duties I held when my father wasn't around was that I had to help the girls with their homework. It usually consisted of Kitty bitching about me doing the work wrong and yet making no effort to pitch in, while Brittney just hummed quietly to herself, obviously not grasping the fact that the square root of four was not rainbows.

Then we have Kitty. Kitty is the smart twin, but she doesn't use it for good. She uses her smarts for evil and bullying, much of which has been directed at me. I like to call her Mega Bitch. That's her super hero- or should I say villain- name. She's the head cheerleader, a spot obviously secured for her because of her mother.

But whatever way you spun it, those two made my life a living hell. My life had become a mass of slushies and other various suckish things.

August 23, 2012

I have always hated the first day of school. It's not even the idea of school itself that bugs me so much. I don't really mind school. It's the awkwardness that surrounds the first day that I despise. The fact that I'm the new kid this year doesn't make things any better. At my old school, if you were new to the school, no one except those in your classes knew it. Actually, half of those kids didn't know it, and most of the time, they didn't care.

Here in Lima, however, everyone knew everyone else. I stuck out like a sore thumb with my loose white tank top and old blazer. I had dressed the way everyone dressed in New York. Stylish and simple. Kids in Lima though didn't seem to care. If you weren't wearing a cheerleading uniform or varsity jacket, you didn't even deserve a second glance.

_Okay_, I thought, _then I should just slip under the radar, completely unnoticed._

Oh, how wrong I was. As soon as that thought was in my head, I was nearly blinded. My nose was numb and I could feel something cold running down my shirt. What the hell was going on?

"Welcome to McKinley, _loser_!" I heard a distinct voice yell. If it wasn't mega bitch herself, Kitty.

Once I regained my vision, I realized that she was still there, surrounded by chuckling jocks and giggling cheerleaders. I couldn't find Brittney though. I licked my lips and smirked at them.

"Thank you so much, sister dear. I always did think that this top was boring," I quipped sarcastically. I calmly turned on my heel, walking smoothly away from them.

_Well, there goes that top_ I thought, a bit pissed. Not at the queen bee, but at myself. I grabbed my unused gym clothes out of my locker, slipping my tight red t shirt on and sliding my somewhat sticky but fairly unharmed blazer over top of it.

This was going to be a long and grueling school year. Mental note: always bring extra clothes. Always.

**Hey people! So I got this up on Saturday, as promised. I got some requests to make the chapters longer, so do you guys like the length? Should I make them longer? Anyways, please review, and I will see you all next week **

**By the way, if any of you have not heard of the Youtube series MyMusic, I highly recommend checking it out. It's hilarious! Thanks to ReflectionsOfTwighlight for getting me hooked on that ;) **

**XOXO**

**-Lauren**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: **Gahh! I'm sorry this is late, but I have a reason. Anyhow, on with the show! Here is:**

Chapter 3

August 30, 2012

School was okay I guess. It had been nearly three weeks since I moved here to Lima- and one since the great slushy incident. I had made a few actual friends, and then a few that I was fairly sure were using me to get close to the step monster herself, Sue Sylvester. Did I mention that she was a nationally ranked cheerleading coach? Sue had decided to keep her last name, apparently something about the press being too stupid to follow a name change. God, I hated that woman.

Father was still trying to win me over with presents, like my brand new white iPhone. Although, I'm not quite sure how well he thought that would work, seeing as I lived in the attic. Laptop, check. iPhone, check. Constant shopping sprees, check. Actual bedroom? Not quite.

I guess the only light in my life was my daily conversation with a guy I met online. I know, I've heard the lectures about not talking to strangers on the Internet, but I met him on our school's chat website. So now we were constantly emailing, IMing, and texting each other.

I can't help but like him. He tells me everything. He wants to be a performer, just like I do. We both want to go to New York for school, and then move to Los Angeles later to work.

September 6, 2012

I sat on my bed in the attic, sighing and tapping away at a message to him. I didn't know his name, but I felt almost connected to him in a strange way. He and I told each other everything. I would send him lyrics that I wrote, and he would send back criticism. We always helped each other with our homework.

I guess when the star quarterback and I got called out for having the exact same answers on a worksheet. But I simply brushed that off and ignored it. Big mistake.

-

September 9, 2012

I never understood the importance of school dances. They seemed like an excuse for the popular kids to dress up and get drunk and throw parties, and for the rest of us to find out just how awesome we're not. The idea of being prom or homecoming queen was ridiculous to me. And I made sure that my mystery guy knew that

So I guess you could say I was a bit confused when said mystery guy told me he wanted to meet me at the back to school kickoff masquerade dance. Now not only did I have to go to a dance, but a dance with a cliche theme!

I laid strung across my bed, my new cross dressing best friend Unique Adams across from me in my desk chair.

"Honey, you are going to that dance tomorrow, whether you like it or not," She persisted.

I sighed. She had been carrying on about this for nearly half an hour. She was the only person I had told about the mystery guy.

"Seriously!" My other friend Tina piped up from her spot in my beanbag chair. For an attic room, I had some seriously swanky furniture. "You have to go. Plus, if you want, you and I can stand on the staircase and judge everyone else!" The petite Asian suggested.

"But what would I even wear? I have nothing good!"

Tina and Unique exchanged a sly glance. I knew I was in for trouble.

-

September 11, 2012

Bullies suck. Plain and simple. And of course, my step-sister just happens to be the biggest bully within a hundred mile radius of this hell hole.

I was dragging my feet- hating the prospect of going to my next class (insert shudder here): Math. I'm good at math, but it bores me half to death. Am I really going to ever need algebra again after high school? I mean, I'm not planning on being a math teacher...

So anyways, back to the story.

I noticed a large crowd with what looked like a hollow center up against a locker. I was obviously curious, so I went to go check it out. The closer I got, I realized that the center wasn't hollow at all. Instead it was occupied by a teenage boy, a short one at that.

As I reached the outskirts of the crowd, I could make out the terrified face bit by bit. I recognized the poor boy instantly. Artie. He was in one of my classes (spanish, I think...) and he was honestly just too sweet for his own good.

I shoved my way past the majorities, people without a clique to call their own, with nothing better to do than watch an innocent wheelchair-bound boy get bullied. I weaved through the crowd before reaching the inner circle and spotting the boy's tormentor. Of course, it was Kitty. Behind her on one side was Brittney, on the other was the quarterback, Ryder Lynn.

I never understood what all the cheerleaders swooned about. I mean, yes he's cute, and yes, he's sweeter than most jocks around here, that didn't mean I was falling over my own feet and clawing at my so called "best friends" just to wave hello to him.

I watched him place a large hand on my evil stepsister's shoulder, only to have his deep, beautiful eyes met with a steely hazel glare. The blonde sent Artie another infamous glare before shoving him again.

"Kitty," I muttered, stepping forward slightly. I felt dozens of pairs of eyes fall on me. "Quit it."

She scoffed. "Are you going to make me? Because the past time I checked, you worked for me."

"Did your precious daddy tell you that? Because let me tell you this: he lies. Like, a lot. I'm sure he's lied to you before. Like all those times he's told you you're pretty and talented."

Kitty's eyes widened, and next I knew, her hand had made contact with my face. I could tell that an angry red mark was forming already, but I didn't care in the slightest.

The blonde muttered something to Britt and Ryder before sashaying off, her hips swinging ever so slightly as she made her grand exit.

Once all the cheerleaders were gone, I noticed that Artie, Ryder, and I were the only people left in that secluded section of hallway.

Ryder bent down to pick up Artie's books, which Kitty had apparently knocked over. Artie was still pretty shaken up. I bent down and placed my hand gently on his shoulder. He looked up at my with big, scared eyes.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly.

He nodded soundlessly. I glanced back over my shoulder at Ryder, who was frozen and looking at me. I stood up straight and cleared my throat.

"Can I help you?"

He almost shook himself out of a trance. "No," He muttered.

Well that was sort of rude I thought.

Ryder must have realized that, because he stuck out his hand after a moment. "I'm Ryder."

"I know," I squeaked. "I'm Marley."

I watched as he formed my name on his lips silently. I stared into his deep brown eyes, getting lost in them. I never noticed how perfect his eyes were. He seemed to be getting distracted by my blue eyes as well. What was going on with me? The bell rang obnoxiously, breaking the moment I was having with the gorgeous football player. Damn you, bell system!

I blinked quickly before shuffling off, leaving a very confused Ryder Lynn in my dust.

-

Sometimes I underestimate how much shit I've actually gotten myself into. Today would be one of those days. First the encounter with Artie and She Who Shall Not Be Named, now this.

The minute I sat down next to Tina, across from Unique at a table in the caf, I knew I was in for it. Big time.

Unique slid a thin slip of glossy paper across the table towards me. "Do you know what this is?" She asked loudly.

"Um, a coupon?" Unique's face fell at my obvious lack of enthusiasm. "Just a wild guess," I defended myself. I really didn't see a need to defend myself, but I kinda need those two as my friends.

"Not just any coupon. Oh, no. It is a half off coupon for that dress store Giovanni's," Tina stated matter-of-factly.

I shrugged, unfazed by this nugget of information.

"We," Unique announced, gesturing to herself, Tina, and I, "are going on a shopping spree tomorrow."

Yep, I was in some deep shit this time.

-

September 12, 2012

Malls bore me. Don't ask me why, they just do. I don't mind the outdoor outlet malls so much, it's those god-awful indoor malls that I hate so much. They just seem so... lazy and pointless. Then again, feel free to prove me wrong.

Today was no exception. I was being taken (against my will) to the Giovanni's outlet at the Lima mall. Tina and Unique insisted that I have the perfect dress for Saturday.

"It'll be like say yes to the dress! Come on, Marley. Please?" Tina wailed.

Unique gasped. "I love that show!" She shrieked, spawning an entire debate about which was best: the original, Atlanta, or the bridesmaids version.

I groaned at my currently fangirling friends before entering the small room closed off by a thick blue curtain. Inside the enclosed area there were very few objects, at least that I could see. Except for the dresses. Pink, blue, purple, black, green, every color you could think of was there. There were at least 40+ dresses.

I groaned internally. I had no interest in being here whatsoever. I had a feeling the shopping day-long and strenuous as it would be- was just about to begin. And I was past the point if no-return. I was stuck. Oh joy!

_**Hello again my lovely readers :) I am sooooooooooooooooo sorry that this is late, but my Grandmother died this week, so I wasn't really in the mood to write that much. However, I love you guys (like a lot) and I was inspired to write again! Let me know what you think, next one should be longer... I tried to make this one long, but I didn't want to leave y'all hanging, so here ya go :)**_

_**XOXO**_

_**-Lauren**_


	4. Note

Hola peeps :) I have a quick question for all of you: do you guys want to seeanything from Ryder's perspective? Or would it be weird? As always, let me know, and I love you all!

Oh btw, said chapter will probably be posted before Saturday, since I feel bad about making y'all wait :(

XOXO

-Lauren


	5. Chapter 4

**Please don't kill me! I am super sorry about not posting in ages! Last time, I had an excuse. This time, I've got nothing. Make sure you read the notes at the end of the chapter too! Now, on with the story:**

Chapter 4

RYDER'S POV (yay):

Some people just have something about them. A certain thing that makes you want to know more about them. So there I was, face to face with a mysterious girls with stunning blue eyes.

I knew the girl. She was in a few of my classes. What was her name again? Manny? No. Makayla? No.

"I'm Marley," peeped the timid voice, pulling me out of La La Land. That's her name! Marley. I was captivated by her eyes, I just couldn't bring myself to blink or look away.

Right as I was about to say something, the bell rang, breaking the magical moment. I turned to ask Artie if he needed anything else, but he was gone. How long had Marley and I been standing there?

I shook my head. Pull it together, Ryder! I thought. I looked back over my shoulder at Marley, only to see her scurrying off to her next class. I shoved the stunning blue-eyed badass girl out of my head. I needed to focus on Kitty, the awful head cheerleader that I was horrified to call my girlfriend. I didn't want to be with her, it just kind of happened. But I still needed the popularity boost, and my guess was that she did too.

-

At lunch:

I slammed my tray agitatedly against the lunch table, causing my close friend, Jake.

"Whoa, dude! Take a chill pill. What crawled up your butt?" Boomed my infamously loud best friend.

I rolled my eyes at the boy. I went against my better judgement and decided to tell him. "There's this-"

But I never got to finish my sentence, since at that moment, Kitty decided to practically leap onto my lap, throwing her arms around my neck.

"Hi," She purred.

"Hello, Kitty."

"I missed you, Ry!" She cooed.

"I saw you less than an hour ago..."

Kitty ignored every quick remark and uninterested response that left my mouth. She cocked her head to the side at something passing by behind me.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is. Oh, Marley. Did you come over here to beg us to take you in, poor, sweet, New York City trash Marley."

Marley let out a short, bitter laugh. "Actually, sister dearest, I just came over to give you a tip. Try not to crush the star football player under your monstrous weight."

My jaw, like those of most people in the room, dropped. Hard. In the many years I'd known Kitty, no one had ever talked to her that way. Not one person had the balls to do it. I sure as hell never did.

The blonde lifted herself off of my lap, the rest of us both terrified and anxious in anticipation of her next move. She raised her hand and before anyone could say anything, brought it down across Marley's face. The two made contact with a loud crack, startling everyone in the lunchroom, even those who were expecting it.

"Now listen here, bitch," Kitty hissed, gritting her teeth. All eyes were on the duo, awaiting their reactions. "Nobody wants you here. Go back to your elephant of a mother and leave the rest of us alone."

Marley quickly glanced around the room, her eyes landing on two girls whom I assumed were her friends. The three exchanged quick glances before Marley turned her attention back to Kitty.

"Fine," she said calmly. "I get that you don't like me. Why, I have no idea, but you just don't like me. But I promise you this: I am here to stay, whether you like it or not." And with that, the brunette turned on her heel and exited the silent cafeteria.

I was stunned, to say the least.

-

I felt a sharp poke in my back in the middle of math class. Expecting it to be another cheerleader or wannabe kissing up, I rolled my eyes and turned around. Turns out, it was actually Jake.

"What?" I snapped.

"Geez!" He whisper-shouted back to me, putting his hands up in mock defeat. "Calm down dude. I just wanted to show you something."

He slipped a piece of crumpled up paper into my hand before I turned around. I unfolded it carefully, trying to not make ay noise. I did not want to get in trouble, especially not today.

It was a flier for the school dance on Saturday. I rolled my eyes again. Did Jake really think I hadn't seen one yet? They were everywhere! Not to mention Kitty bugging me about it every second of the day. I hadn't asked her, and I think it was pissing her off. But I had other plans.

You see, for the past few weeks, ever since school started back up, I had been talking to a girl online. I didn't really know much about her, all I knew was that she went to school here, and that we were finally going to meet at the ridiculous masquerade dance this weekend. In a way, I was almost dreading it. What if she wasn't like I imagined? I really hoped she would be though.

The dance itself seemed insanely stupid, like most school functions. To make it all worse, Principal Figgins had sent an email to all students and their parents, asking us all to- and I quote- "Please refrain from any inappropriate dancing, including what the kids call 'grinding'".

There was an insane dress code being enforced as well. Kitty had been whining the entire week about the 'insane restrictions on her dress choices' and how it was affecting her. I didn't really care, but I needed her, for popularity reasons. Dammit I sound superficial. God, what has Kitty done to me?

I turned back around to Jake. "So?" I asked, "these things are everywhere."

He rolled his eyes, as I was clearly not grasping the point. "I heard a rumor that you haven't asked Kitty yet, and that she's super pissed. I also heard that she's considering ending things with you if you don't man up and ask her soon."

I groaned. I knew what the price would be if I didn't take Kitty, but I had other plans.

You see, there was this chat website. It was school-run, and it was basically to get you to meet other people. I talked to this one girl, but she won't tell me her name. It's increased to more than just the IMing. Texting, emailing, you name it, but I still have no clue who she is. She won't tell me, and she doesn't want to know who I am either. I'm not even sure if she's actually a she. Oh god, please let her be a she.

Jake rolled his eyes at my lack of response and I turned back to attempting to listen to Mrs. Lamotte's lesson.

Saturday needed to hurry up and get here already.

**Once again, I apologize for my lack of updates. My Ryley ship was on a low for a while there, what with the never ending supply of Jarley sap in the past few episodes. However, with last night's episode on constant replay (especially that kiss ***_**swoon*) **_**I had enough inspiration to put together not one chapter, but **_**three**_**, the second of which will be posting this weekend. **

**Now that that little rant is done, let's move on to my next topic: last night's Glee. **

**Holy. Flipping. Cheese puffs. First, the wedding. I found myself not only crying at the runaway bride, but I was especially impressed with the two lovely ladies that sang in that scene. Also, Sue in the dressing room. Her reactions (or lack of reactions) while Emma sang were awesome. **

**I'm not that much of a Klaine shipper, although I do like them, but even I squealed during their make-out session in the car.**

**Then there was the incredible Ali Stroker. I loved her in the bitchier role, especially with Artie. **

**And of course, my favorite moments of the night: any and every scene with Ryley.**

**Let me know what you guys think, both of Glee and of SBE. You know the drill. Review or PM me your thoughts and reactions.**

**XOXO**

**-Lauren **


	6. Chapter 5

**Hehe yay! Another chapter**

Chapter 5

September 12, 2012 (late afternoon)

I sighed irritably. Tina and Unique had forced me to go dress shopping for the stupid masquerade dance. I had tried on at least 12 dresses, and nothing was right. Too long, too short, too slutty, too casual, nothing was right.

I had been sent back into the tiny changing room after our last attempt, a bright yellow tea length dress, had been shot down. I had tried on all but two dresses from the enormous stack of candidates, and I was losing faith. I slipped into the second to last dress, a short cream colored party dress. It had a beautifully embroidered bodice and a skirt that flared out ever so slightly. I gasped. I looked, well... gorgeous!

Tina and Unique must have heard me gasp, because Unique asked cautiously, "Marley? Are you okay?"

I smiled to myself as I clipped the matching gold hairpiece into my long brown waves. "Yeah," I answered. "I'm absolutely perfect."

"Can we see the dress?" Tina asked almost shyly.

I obliged, stepping tentatively out from behind the curtain. Unique's jaw basically hit the floor, and Tina's hand flew to her mouth, muffling the barely audible squeak that escaped the Asian's lips.

"Well?" I prompted, standing in front of the big mirror and doing a little twirl. The dress fit me in all the right places. It was tighter up top but flowed around my legs, the color making them look tan.

Tina nodded in approval before Unique announced:

"No boy in their right mind will be able to keep their eyes off of you, sweetheart!" She then threw me a wink, knowing that I hadn't yet told Tina about the mystery guy.

I sighed. I hope not I thought.

-

After we got my dress, we picked one for Tina- a gorgeous black lacy number that reached just above her knees. Unique told us that she had a dress already picked out, and that we would have to wait to see it.

As soon as the lock clicked behind me, I was running up the stairs to my attic room. I needed to talk to my guy.

I logged into my laptop, immediately clicking onto my IMing site.

From Me: From Him:

Hey there  
_Well hello to you too_  
I'm sorry I wasn't on earlier :(  
_It's fine. How was your day?  
_Eh. Boring.  
_Why? What'd you do?_  
Dress shopping  
_ Don't be so grumpy  
_:P  
_ Right back at you missy  
_Ooh missy. I'm so scared.  
_ Soon I'll know your name._  
Soon, but not now :P  
_ Give me a hint?_  
Nope. You don't get any help.  
_ You suck  
_Right back at ya ;)  
_ I gotta go, see you __on Saturday_  
Bye :)  
_**Your partner has disconnected**_

I giggled to myself before shutting off my laptop. Was this what it felt like to just be happy? Even for just a short moment, I felt good about something, something bigger than just a small accomplishment.

God, what was happening to me? I have never ever gotten excited about a boy. I've had one boyfriend and that was when I was twelve. I never really saw the point if having a boyfriend. That's what I hated about Disney princesses. All they ever did was sit on their asses, singing and waiting for their prince charming. I was never one of those girls who only cared about boys.

My best friend Lindsay was really very boy-crazy. She had gone through like five boyfriends by the time she was fifteen! I never really got why.

My thoughts were interrupted by the door bursting open. In rushed my evil stepsister Kitty. She silently rushed past me, snatching up my laptop and swiftly exiting the room.

"Sure my dear sister, you may borrow my computer," I called after her. I was pissed but not at all surprised. Without even turning around, she flipped me the finger over her shoulder.

"Well fuck you too," I muttered, my happiness instantly vanishing. I hated my stepsisters, more than I ever could have imagined. The demands they made were both unreasonable and stupid.

Just ten more months, I reminded myself over and over again. But first, I just have to get through this dance. I sighed yet again falling back on my pillow.

-  
September 13, 2012 (morning)

I'm not a morning person, by any means. This morning however, I felt rested and ready to go, even at 7:30 in the morning. I padded down the carpeted stairs in my fluffy slipper-socks with a little extra spring in my step.

"You look chipper this morning, kiddo," My father acknowledged as I entered the kitchen. I merely hummed in response, grabbing an orange before plopping down in the chair next to him.

Sue nodded and asked, "Marley, will you go wake your sisters for me?"

I shuddered at the request. My happy day was about to be shattered with the opening of two doors. I trudged up the stairs, the pep in my step ultimately gone.

I decided to wake Britt first, and save the worst for last.

"Britt," I said softly, poking my head in the door. I entered the girly pink room quietly, careful not to step on anything. "Britt, wake up."

The blonde would not budge. "Britt," I said, a bit more forcefully, shoving her foot slightly. Finally, after a few more attempts, the blonde's head popped up groggily. "Get up," I muttered. "We've got school in an hour."

I left her to get ready in her personal bathroom.

Next, I moved on to Kitty's room. I hated her more than I hated Britt. With Brittney, you couldn't tell if she was being mean on purpose, or was simply clueless about her surroundings.

As soon as I stepped into the purple bedroom almost identical to Brittney's, I spotted my green and blue polka dotted laptop case, my laptop inside of it. I decided to grab that first and at least get it into my bathroom first. Little Miss HBIC could wait a minute.

Once my precious laptop was safely in my attic-room, I headed back down to Kitty's bedroom. I poked my head in, calling her name. I didn't wake her up nearly as gently as I woke Britt. I guess I sort of pitied the naïve girl. The other one, however, was a different story.

"Kitty, get up," I half-yelled across the room to her before flicking on the light and making a hasty retreat.

My bathroom was very simple. It had the basics: sink, toilet, shower, mirror, etc. It was a pale blue color, a contrast to the barely-finished beige walls of my room.

My morning routine had always been really simple, seeing as I'm not exactly the girliest girl ever. My brown hair was curled in simple waves that landed halfway down my back and pulled back off my face with a black headband.

Whoever this mystery guy was, he better get used to me, 'cause I'm not changing or dressing up to impress him, especially when I had no clue who he was.

When I was a tiny tot, my mother told me to always stay true to myself. She told me that I could always control my fairytale. That things weren't gone until you decide they are. I really hoped she was right, and that New York wasn't gone until I let it go. Come what may, I was not letting go.

You can bet on that.

**I'm so happy that you guys like the story so far. So good news, the dance is coming up in a few chapters! Hopefully after today, I can get back on a regular schedule, but you guys might still have to be patient with me. Anyways, please review and let me know what you guys think! **

**XOXO**

**-Lauren**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

September 15, 2012 (morning)

I trudged down the stairs at seven in the morning. On a Saturday. Weekends are for sleeping, not for waking up at seven to help your evil stepsister and her dopey sidekick prepare for a school dance.

Kitty was obviously planning on winning Masquerade Queen, and if it wasn't obvious enough, I could hear her practicing an acceptance speech in her room as I passed by the door. I'm not sure what Britt was planning, but I had been assigned the job of chauffeuring them anywhere they wanted to go.

I sat in the chair opposite Sue. No sooner had I gotten comfortable than a notepad with the top sheet completely filled was slid across the table towards me.

I looked up at my stepmother. "What's this?"

"Your chores," She scoffed, as though it were obvious.

I was surprised at how much there was to do. I peered back up at Sue. "But the masquerade dance is tonight."

She nodded. "I know that."

I rolled my eyes, obviously having to spell this out for her.

"I can't do all of this before the dance."

She chuckled. "That's because you aren't going to the dance. No, there's far too much to do, and your father and I are going to spend the day in Cleveland. When we get home, everything on that list better be done." And with that, Sue stood and left me alone in the kitchen, not sure what to do. I was really looking forward to that stupid dance.

-  
"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU MEAN YOU AREN'T GOING!?" Screamed an outraged Unique. Even over the phone, she still nearly shattered my eardrum.

"That's just it, Unique. The step monster won't let me go. She gave me a crazy list of chores to do so I won't be able to go."

I sighed, tugging at the hem of my baby blue shirt.

There was a moment of silence before my best friend spoke up again.

"But what about your mystery guy?"

I thought of the sweet teenage boy that was probably super excited for tonight. I realized right then that this might break his heart.

"Have you texted him yet?" Unique asked, pulling my from my thoughts.

I shook my head signaling that no, I had yet to text him. I realized a moment too late that she couldn't see me through the phone.

Unique seemed to understand though. She sighed, understanding my predicament.

"What on earth do I tell him?" I groaned.

Unique perked up almost instantly.

"Maybe you won't have to," she said. "I'll be at your house at 7:15."

"But the dance starts at 7. Won't you be late?"

"We will only be fashionably late. I have a plan. Just trust me, miss Marley."

-

You see, I don't really do well with taking orders. I consider myself more freethinking. So was I _happy _to spend a perfectly good Saturday that I could've been using to write, or make fun of people on ridiculous reality shows, or even to get ready for the dance myself, on carting Super Bitch and her sidekick The Blonde Bimbo around to wherever their little icy hearts desired? Let me give you a hint: the answer is no, I was pretty pissed off.

"Kitty, are you almost done?" I yelled to her.

Currently we were inside Sarah's Hair & Nail Salon, and we'd been there for at least a solid two hours. For the first half hour or so, I'd followed orders. I'd played nice, and I had even gotten myself a little manicure and pedicure. Don't judge me. If you were finally getting to meet the guy that you couldn't get out of your head, you'd want to look as good as possible too!

Now, we were about ten minutes over the two hour mark. Yup, I was counting it. Britt and I were both finished and sitting in the nearly empty waiting room. The only other person there was a little old lady who'd walked in about ten minutes ago.

"Don't rush me, loser," kitty's shrill voice pierced through my thoughts. 'But yes, I am almost done."

When she stepped out into the waiting room, it took all of my strength not to laugh out loud. She looked like a human Barbie doll. Her blonde hair was even blonder than usual and was pulled into a low, loose side bun that had small, loose curls hanging off of it. Her eyebrows were perfectly shaped and she was holding a bag that appeared to be full of makeup.

"Marley, pay for it," Kitty demanded, turning to face her partner in crime. The blonde duo huddled close together, giggling and gossiping. I turned to give the exhausted looking girl who had emerged behind Kitty an apologetic look before handing her the credit card that Sue had given me specifically for this occasion. The petite stylist hurried off before retuning moments later with the card.

"Are you their sister?" The girl asked.

I nodded regretfully. "I'm sorry about them." I chuckled to the girl.

"No, I'm sorry for you."

-  
About an hour after Kitty and Brittney left the house with their dates, there was a knock on the front door. I opened it to find three hooded figures. Unique and Tina removed their hoods, revealing perfectly styled hair.

I raised an eyebrow at the third figure. Unique groaned at the shorter person before pulling the hood down off his head.

"Marley," Unique announced, "this is my cousin Luke. He's here to clean up this wreck that your folks call a 'home'."

I turned to face Tina who smiled and pulled a makeup case out from behind her back.

Oh god, I was in for a serious ride tonight. And then I'd get to meet my mystery guy.

September 15, 2012 (evening)

I stood staring at myself in the mirror. From my spot behind the three-paneled divider, I could hear Unique and Tina gossiping excitedly. The gorgeous cream fabric fell beautifully around my legs, clinging tighter in all the right places. I smoothed down my skirt once more before stepping out into the open.

Tina gasped, Unique was beaming.

"You look fabulous darling!" Exclaimed Unique. "Now come sit so we can finish your hair and makeup."

I stepped tentatively toward the duo. They had set up a small studio at my vanity. I sat down in my rolling desk chair and sat back as my two friends started their work. I watched as Tina turned my messy brown locks into gorgeous cascading waves that fell halfway down my back.

Unique transformed my face from the bland, bored face I normally sported into one that looked like it belonged to a Greek goddess. My eyes were defined, but not over done. My lips were coated in a lovely peach colored gloss. I was ready.

I stepped into the gold heels that the girls had convinced me to purchase, almost regretting the choice as I nearly teetered over. Somehow though, I managed to steady myself enough to feel confident in the death traps that these two called "shoes".

"Almost done," Tina sighed.

Almost? I wondered. As if reading my mind, Unique sauntered over to a pale pink box that was about the size of a shoebox. She handed it to me.

I lifted the lid to find the most beautiful ivory mask staring back at me. I gasped. It was beautiful.

Tina lifted it out of the box and carefully, so as not to mess up my curls, fastened the mask around my face. She stepped back to admire her work.

"Now come on!" Unique boomed, the gentleness gone from her voice. We have a dance to get you to."

**So… not really my best chapter, but it was fun to write the salon scene :P Anyways, you guys know the drill. Let me know what you think! On a happy note, I'm back to a schedule! Yayyyy! Next Chapter is the long awaited dance! Heehee I feel really bad about making you wonderful people wait so long for that **** Again I love you guys all soooooooo much, thank you for staying with this story, even though I'm kind of all over the place with my updates, and even when I do update, it's not that good. I LOVE YOU ALL! **

**XOXO**

**-Lauren**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"I don't know about this guys," I breathed, "I don't think I can do it."

The entire car ride here had been crazy, full of laughing and singing obnoxiously along with the radio in Unique's car. Except for the last few minutes. The realization had hit me that in a few minutes, I would actually meet my mystery dream guy. Oh my god, I cannot believe I just said 'dream guy'.

Tina and Unique each grabbed one of my arms, looping it through their own. "You'll be fine, Marls," Unique cooed.

The dance was being held at a country club a few miles from the school. When we stepped into the beautifully decorated room, I noticed that you couldn't just walk through the doors unnoticed. Since mostly everyone was here already, the grand marble staircase at the entry was almost deserted. Tina and Unique went first, eyes landing on them. Unique waved to the 'commoners' as she liked to call them, and Tina blushed and bowed her head.

As they reached the bottom of the staircase, once the hype of new people had died down, my friends turned back to face me gesturing wildly for me to join them. I shook my head, obviously nervous. Unique rolled her eyes before starting a miniature countdown on her fingers. I didn't want to know what would happen if she reached zero. I took a shaky breath before stepping down onto the first stair. Immediately a white hot spotlight, along with hundreds of pairs of eyes, landed on me.

I slowly stepped down the stairs, holding on to the guard rail for support. I didn't want to fall flat on my face in front of everyone! Once I reached the bottom of the stairs, I realize that the spotlight is still on me. I rolled my eyes, a little bit embarrassed by all the attention.

My guy had told me that he would be waiting by the doorway to the back gardens. I stepped unsurely over toward the door, gaze locked on my feet to ensure that I didn't topple over.

I guess I was moving faster than I anticipated, because before I knew it, I had crashed into something hard. I figured it was either a wall or a person, and I was praying for the latter. At least I could explain that one.

I looked up, only to find the most gorgeous brown eyes I had ever seen.

"Well hi there," The stranger chuckled, leaning down over me.

And what did I do? Well I just giggled dumbly like the awkward turtle I am. He looked down at me and smiled. I could feel my legs turning into jelly at a rapid pace.

"So," He began, pulling me out of my lovely fantasy. "I'm supposed to be meeting someone, a mystery girl I guess."

I giggled yet again. God, what was wrong with me?!

"You wouldn't happen to know of anyone like that would you?" He almost whispered. I smiled at him.

"Only if you happen to know a certain mystery guy that I might be meeting tonight," I teased him quietly.

He grabbed my hands, pulling me closer to him.

"Do you want to maybe go outside? We can talk some more, get to know each other..." He trailed off.

I nodded. He took my hand which was already encased in his and pulled me out the beautifully decorated door. I let out a small giggle as he ran down the lit pathway, pulling me after him.

We ran together, not very quickly though, because of my shoes. We ran and laughed together until we reached a gazebo. It was covered in Christmas lights and white rose petals littered the three steps leading to the platform. Inside the gazebo there was a wooden bench lining the walls, and in one corner sat a guitar.

I looked at him, stunned.

"You planned this," I breathed.

"I had some time," He teased.

He pulled me down to sit on the white wooden bench. I set my iPhone conveniently next to me, so that I wouldn't forget it.

We just sat there for a moment, analyzing each other.

"So, umm..." I muttered, breaking the stare-off.

"Yeah... do you want to play a game?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

I nodded. "20 Questions. Go."

"Favorite color?" He shot.

"Purple or blue, you?"

"I honestly don't have a favorite," He shrugged.

I sat there gaping at him. He noticed my lack of a snarky comment and narrowed his eyes.

"What?" He asked.

"That was the lamest answer ever!" I squealed, shoving him playfully.

He shoved me back jokingly. It was amazing being with him. Even though tonight was the first time I'd ever actually met him in person, I felt like I'd known him forever. We talked for what seemed like hours, teasing, shoving, and flirting included before he pulled me up off of the bench. He dragged me towards the middle of the gazebo before grabbing the guitar out of the corner.

"What are you doing?" I gasped. No one had ever sung to me before.

"I'm not really the best talker, so I think I'm gonna just sing what I feel instead."

He plucked a few random strings on the guitar before turning those mindless notes into a song. I knew the song.

Maybe it's intuition  
But some things you just don't question  
Like in your eyes  
I see my future in an instant  
And there it goes  
I think I've found my best friend  
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy  
But I believe

His beautiful voice filled the gazebo. He paused for only a second before singing again.

I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life

There's just no rhyme or reason  
Only this sense of completion  
And in your eyes  
I see the missing pieces  
I'm searching for  
I think I've found my way home

I know that it might sound more than a little crazy  
But I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life

He stopped singing and placed the guitar back on the bench.

"Well? What'd you think?" He asked hopefully.

"Before I answer, will you tell me who you are?" I asked biting my lip anxiously.

He reached behind his head, pulling his mask off over his head.

I gasped. How could I have been so stupid?! It was Ryder Lynn. Mr. Popular, the quarterback, the guy that every guy wanted to be and every girl wanted to be with.

He looked at me, obviously worried by my reaction. I turned back to look him directly in the eyes. Those deep, brown eyes that made me want to melt. Without even thinking about it, I pressed my lips against his.

It took a moment for him to register, which was good, since I needed one too. I couldn't believe that I had done that! But before I had time to even think about pulling back and apologizing, I felt Ryder's hands on my hips.

Our lips moved perfectly in sync, fireworks and all that cliché shit going off around us. After what seemed like forever, but in reality was only a minute or two, I removed my lips from his, opting instead to rest my forehead against his.

He smiled, our lips still mere inches apart.

"So, I guess that means you liked it?" He mumbled anxiously.

I beamed before pulling him back on to the bench opposite the guitar, murmuring a soft 'yes' against his lips.

"Wait," He said, pulling back from me.

I looked up at him confused.

"Now that you know who I am, don't I get to see who you are?" He asked.

I swallowed hard. Ever since I found out that he was the Ryder Lynn, I had been dreading this moment. What if he didn't like me because I wasn't who he thought I was? I took a deep breath, reached back to the ribbon that held my mask, and...

Ding, ding!

Dammit. My stupid cell phone chimed from its spot on the bench. I looked over at it, my hands still on the ribbon. It was 11:25. That meant I had less than half an hour to get home and change back into normal clothes before dad and Sue returned.

"Shoot!" I hissed aggravated by the awful timing.

"What?" Ryder asked, totally panicked.

"I have to go, Ryder."

"Now? But I don't even-"

"I'm sorry! If I'm not home before midnight, I'm dead meat. Tonight was lovely, thank you." I rushed, pressing one last quick kiss against his lips. "I'll talk to you later!" I shouted back at him as I scurried off.

I can't believe I just did that! I just left the most popular guy at McKinley standing shocked in a gazebo. I couldn't stop to think about that though. I removed my heels and sprinted around the club, taking a shortcut across one of the golf trails. I called Tina, knowing that she had her phone with her.

The three of us met up at Tina's car, hopping in and speeding off. Unique and Tina chattered excitedly from the front seats, while I sat in the back, silent. I guess Unique finally noticed, because she turned around in an attempt to pull me into the conversation.

"So... What happened?" She asked.

"We talked, danced, he sang to me..."

Insert high pitched fangirl squeals here. My eardrums were ringing.

"Wait, what?" Tina asked, stunned. "Who was this?"

Oh right. I never exactly told Tina about the mystery guy who isn't such a mystery anymore. I filled her in, occasionally being interrupted by Unique adding her opinions. The senior girl was silent, unsure of what to say.

"So, anyways girl, who is he?" Piped an anxious Unique.

"Ryder Lynn," I muttered, apparently too quietly to be heard.

"Who?" Tina asked.

"Ryder Lynn," I squeaked, slightly louder this time.

After that no one said anything for a moment.

"Y-you mean-" Tina stuttered.

I nodded. Again, silence followed. The silence was pierced by an excited squeal.

"That's sooo cool!" Tina squealed.

"So what did he say when he found out who you are?" Unique asked, excited.

I froze. "He, um, he doesn't know who I am. I didn't get to tell him."

Again silence. Both girls seemed to be processing the news.

"Wow..." Breathed out Unique. "The connections between your life and a fairytale right now are astounding..."

I rolled my eyes. We had bigger problems at the moment, like getting me home before midnight.

Just my luck though, Tina's car let out a loud, sputtering cough before gradually slowing to a halt. Tina glanced back at me guiltily. I stared back at her, my eyes wide.

"This cannot be happening!" I groaned. "I have the worst luck ever!"

I didn't exactly have much time to spare, 15 minutes until midnight, and we were still nearly two miles from my house. Without a second thought, I swung the door of the car open, neither girl in the front seat questioning it. I pulled my uncomfortable high heels off of my feet before taking off in a sprint in the direction of the house.

-

I reached my house with mere minutes to spare- thank god for all the running I've done in gym. I entered the house, slamming the door quickly behind me. Once I caught my breath I spotted Luke in the exact same spot we'd left him in. Huh.

I looked around the main floor, only to find everything spotless.

"Wow, Luke. You did a great job."

Without uttering a word, he held out his hand, gesturing for a tip. I gave him five dollars, which obviously didn't satisfy him, but oh well. I'm not exactly a walking bank.

I snapped my head up at the sound of the garage door opening. I grabbed Luke's hand, dragging him up the stairs and into my room, shoving him into the closet. I grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie, pulling them over my dress as I sprinted back down to the kitchen, grabbing the first thing I saw, which happened to be a box of cereal.

As soon as my hand hit the cupboard handle to grab a bowl, the door swung open, revealing Dad and Sue.

Sue looked as pissy and menacing as ever, while my dad stood chipper behind her.

Sue strolled slowly around the room, inspecting every inch to make sure it was spotless. She cast me a quick and very subtle glance of approval before sitting ungracefully on one of the bar stool.

"Everything looks good," She said tentatively.

I let out a sigh of relief. I nodded before turning back to my bowl of frosted flakes. I couldn't believe that we actually pulled it off.

I ate the rest of my cereal in record time, speeding up the stairs to my attic the instant the bowl was in the dishwasher.

I opened my closet door to find Luke sitting, playing with his phone. I grabbed his arm and dragged him down the stairs to Brittney's room. I shoved him towards the door that led to her balcony.

"Go quickly," I whispered to the boy. "There's a rope ladder out there. Climb down and then run for it."

He nodded again. I grabbed his arm before muttering "Thank you." And off he went.

As soon as he was safely off our lawn, I walked back up to my room. I shed my sweatshirt and pants before pulling of the dress as well and hanging it back in my closet.

I flung myself down on my bed, my head swimming in thoughts of Ryder. After about half an hour, sleep overtook me, the last thing I thought of was Ryder, and how I needed to tell him. Soon.

**Don't kill me. Please. On the good side, this chapter is twice as long as most of the other ones, so YAY!**

**So now onto my favorite topic: Glee. I did a lot of fangirling throughout this episode, from Will and Emma working things out, to all the incredible performances. But I want to talk about my three favorite moments in the ep.**

**Firstly, KLAINE! I'm not even that much of a Klaine shipper, as I mentioned in my last Glee review thing, but I was really squealing about Come What May.**

**Second, seeing sweet Santana. Though I do love me some Santana-brand insults, seeing her comforting Rachel was a great side of her, one that we rarely get to see.**

**And finally, Ryley! YAYYYYYYYYY! I was so excited when Marley was fantasizing about Ryder when Jake was singing. Plus seeing The guys without pants was pretty awesome, just sayin.**

**So what did you think? I may be eliminating the whole schedule thing, since I suck when I'm on a deadline. **

**XOXO**

**-Lauren**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Hi again! In good news, I am, in fact, alive. And now that my competition season (dance) is over, I have had more time to write. So many months ago, on my last chapter or so, people kept asking about Kitty and the laptop. So, for the first time ever, here is a chapter in Kitty's POV! Enjoy! I promise I will explain myself in the note below.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Seriously. Nothing. Not the characters, not the plot, but I do own a pair of very old, worn out, and uncomfortable pointe shoes. **

Kitty's POV:

I consider myself pretty smart. I'll admit that maybe dropping my laptop down the stairs might not have exactly been a genius move, but something good did still come from it.

I had just taken Marley's precious laptop, assuming that the loser was probably on tumblr or something lame like that. But I was so wrong. Don't ask me how I know her password, I have connections. When the screen blinked to life, I noticed something on her screen. It was an open tab. It was minimized, but I could see the title of the web page on the bottom of the screen. It was our school's IMing site. The loser was in a private chat with someone called 'Mystery Guy' . How freaking creative, dear sister of mine. Noticed the sarcasm dripping from that comment. I clicked on their conversation, opening up all of their messages since the beginning of the school year.

Marley and this mystery guy had talked pretty much every night. They were planning on meeting up at the dance on Saturday.

Oh, no. No, no, no. This simply wouldn't do. I couldn't have Marley happy, now could I? I knew what I had to do. And I knew exactly how to do it.

I bounced down the stairs, still sore from our intense Cheerios practice yesterday. I approached my coach- er mother, who was sitting at the bar in the kitchen.

"Mother," I squeaked timidly. She was the only person within a thirty mile radius of this place that scared me.

"What Kitty?" She demanded, peering over her latest edition of SPLITS magazine. Britt and I were on the cover this month.

I shrank back a bit before regaining my composure. "I have something you might want to know."

She raised an eyebrow critically before waving me closer. I took a deep breath and plastered my queen bitch smirk back on my face.

-

"Oh my god, Brittney! You are impossible!" I shrieked at my idiotic sister.

"I thought I was Brittney..." She mumbled, the usual pep absent from her voice.

For the past few minutes, I'd been attempting to explain my genius plan to her. I statutes again.

"If we keep Marley out of the house, then she won't be able to start her work. The later she starts her work, then the later she finishes her work. If she doesn't finish her work, then she won't be able to go to the Masquerade dance and meet her prince charming."

The blonde across from me still wore a confused expression. "But doesn't Marley want to meet her prince?"

"Exactly. If she doesn't meet him, she won't be happy."

Noticing her still blank expression, I added "Which is good, because we don't like her."

Brittney still didn't seem to get the message. I groaned and pulled her up off my bed by the arm.

-

I ran my fingers through my now blown-out blonde locks. Torturing Marley by dragging her all over town had been fun, but I had more important matters to worry about.

I needed the Masquerade queen crown like a fish needed water. I thought I had it too, until Ryder decided to blow me off for some girl he'd never met, leaving me with his right hand moron, Jake Puckerman. That boy is dumber than dirt, and I mean it too.

I had to pray that my good looks and popularity alone would be enough to win me the crown. Because Jake wouldn't help at all. I smoothed down my tight pink dress, taking a moment to calm myself. I can do it, I know I can. So then why was I nervous?

I had smoothed out every last wrinkle in the dress by now, and my hands were burning from all the friction the smoothing created. The more I looked at the dress, the more I adored it. The hot pink satin clung tightly to my body in all the right places, but without showing too much. Contrary to apparently popular belief, I am not a whore. A bitch, yes, but not a whore.

I took a moment to collect myself before emerging out of my room. I stepped carefully down the flight of marble and carpeted stairs, my four inch heels making it slightly difficult to move around.

At that moment, the doorbell rang, signaling Britt and I that Dumb and Dumber, aka our dates for the evening, had arrived.

"Marley!" I shrieked. The head of light brown curls appeared at the top of the stairs.

"What?" She sighed.

"Get that, would you?" I said, pretending to be preoccupied with my hair, even though it was already so perfect.

"Why can't you get it?" She groaned.

"Cuz I'm busy. Duh."

She muttered something angrily to herself before trudging down the stairs and opening the door.

On the opposite side of the threshold stood Britt's date, Sam, and Jake. I couldn't help but let my gaze run over the latter, possibly longer than necessary, but still. Jake stood with his hands in the pockets of his dress pants, smiling sheepishly at me and refusing to meet my eyes.

It was almost cute, in a way. I had become so accustomed to seeing him only as Ryder's pig of a best friend, that seeing him nervous was an entirely new sight for me.

"H-hi," Jake stuttered.

I laughed at his change in behavior and he visibly relaxed. I smiled my million-megawatt smile at him before turning back towards the staircase.

"Brittney!" I called impatiently. "Sam is here!"

She bounded excitedly out of her room at that, her bright red dress swishing around her knees. I watched Sam's eyes widen at the sight of my sister, and I couldn't help but agree. She looked great. Not as spectacular as me, but still pretty great.

Britt skipped down the grand staircase, nearly flinging herself into Sam's arms the instant her feet hit level ground. I giggled lightly at my sister's crazy antics, causing Jake to look over and smile at me, almost genuinely. What was going on with him?

I simply shrugged off the crazy thoughts and turned to him, hoping that I appeared bored. I couldn't give the Neanderthal the wrong idea. But he held his arm out to me like a gentleman, and I accepted it. Oh boy, I thought, this is going to be a long night.

-

I pushed back my long blonde locks out of my face for what seemed like the thousandth time this evening. Not long after Jake, Brittney, Sam and I arrived, Ryder burst through the door, glancing anxiously at the pilar near the snack table. Now, almost an hour into this stupid school function, whoever it is that Ryder is looking for still hadn't shown up.

I guess I spoke too soon though, because the blinding spotlight, which had been shining on my for ages when I walked in, darted over to the grand entry stairs. On the top landing of the staircase was a thin brunette in a gorgeous cream colored dress with a matching mask framing her eyes, though from here, I couldn't tell what color they were. Ryder seemed as though he were in a trance, instantly moving towards the girl.

I had-and hated-to admit it, but she looked gorgeous. I wasn't surprised in the least when she and Ryder disappeared into the gardens.

"So..." I began, hoping to break the silence between Jake and I. "Now that Ryder is with that girl, can we go dance?"

He chuckled and nodded, grabbing my hand and leading me to the dance floor.

Needless to say, that night turned out pretty darn magical, even without Ryder.

**So hi, hello, welcome back to the magical world that is my mind. I kind of just threw this together on my way to my last competition. If you see any mistakes, there are two possible excuses:**

**The bus hit a bump in the rode and I pressed the wrong key**

**I was tired and hopped up on sugar after my trio scored a platinum (YAY!)**

**But yes, I am alive, back, and I already have a few chapters planned out and two more written. I have just been super busy between dance ending, and my two jobs this summer. But now I'm back, and hopefully during those three months I've been totally MIA, I've become a better writer. For those of you reading this, I just want to say that I love you all, and you people are the reason that I didn't give up on this story.**

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXO**

**-Lauren**


	10. Chapter 9

**Hi again! Sorry this took a while, but at least it wasn't as long as last time. Since this is a story with a set plotline and I can't really deviate from it too much, this story will probably only have 5 or 6 more chapters. I already have a few of them written, so hopefully I can manage some time in between work, and volunteer stuff, and dance, I can figure out some times to post. Now, on to the story.**

Chapter 9

Ryder's POV:

I stood shocked, staring at the door that the girl of my dreams had just disappeared through.

It almost seemed like a dream. One minute she was there, and the next, she was gone. I trudged back to the gazebo, a feeling of defeat settling over me. My fingers mindlessly drew circles across the painted wooden bench for a moment or two until one of my hands hit a smooth, solid object. Without even pausing to look down at the object, I picked it up, deciding it to be a phone almost instantly. A white iPhone to be more exact.

It belonged to her, it had to. No one else was out here. I flipped it over in my palm a few times, considering what few options I had. Since I had spent so long just standing there like a moron, chasing after her was out of the question. But I had to find her, and soon.

Marley's POV:

I awoke to the shrill sound of Kitty singing along to some old Taylor Swift song. After what happened last night, I wasn't exactly enthusiastic to hear about being fearless. I wasn't fearless. Not at all. I couldn't even work up the nerve to tell a guy that I'd been talking to so easily for weeks that it was me. I was definitely not fearless; I was a coward. I chickened out and left the one guy that might actually have cared about me standing there, confused.

The song on Kitty's iPod downstairs changed. I didn't recognize it immediately, as this one was less in-your-face. I leaned down and pressed my ear to the floor, roughly about where Kitty's room was. It was another older one, this one fit my situation better though. I really was enchanted by Ryder. I never knew he had a voice like that. But I had thrown it away.

I turned to reach for my phone on my iHome, only to find it not there. I frantically searched around my room, looking in pockets, bags, and underneath piles of clothes, but to no avail. My phone was gone. Everything, my pictures, my contacts, my original songs I had recorded on there. I had no pictures of myself on the phone, as I was too self conscious for selfies. I hadn't really had the phone long, only since I had been in Lima, but it meant a lot to me.

I could only hope that whoever found it was nice, because my phone didn't have a passcode.

Ryder's POV:

My curiosity had gotten the better of me. I know, I'm not supposed to snoop around on people's personal belongings, but I had to know who she was. I turned on the phone and slid the unlock bar, bracing myself for the passcode. What I didn't expect was for the phone to simply unlock, with no passcode at all.

I searched everywhere, pictures, contacts, anything for clues about who she was. She was obviously not an average girl, as there was not a single selfie on her phone. As a last resort, I checked the music on the phone. I scrolled through a few of the playlists, stopping on one entitled MY SONGS.

Don't judge me. I knew that what u was doing was wrong, but I was past the point of no return. I'm curious. What can ya do? I scrolled through the playlist. There were nearly 2 dozen songs on there!

I tapped a random one, Track 8, and pressed the play button.

_Can we just rewind?__  
__Pause the game so I can think__  
__It's driven me up to the brink__  
__On the edge of insanity_

A beautiful, rich voice filled the small gazebo. It reminded me of one of the girls in those shows that my mom dragged me to in New York every year, only better. This girl, her voice, everything was magnetic. I could feel myself being drawn closer and closer to her, and yet being kept away, seeing as I didn't know who she was.

_Am I your nightmare__  
__Or a dream come true__  
__Are you my knight in shining armor__  
__Or is this just what you do__  
__With every girl_

I couldn't help but wonder about the lyrics. Who was this song about? Who was her knight in shining armor? Of course, I didn't actually know that she wrote the song about herself, or even whether or not she actually wrote the song. But despite all that, she just seemed so... honest, and the way she sang it made me believe in her words. It was indescribable.

_Will you chase me?__  
__Or forget me?__  
__Will I be on your mind?__  
__Do you notice what we have?__  
__And it's so damn hard to find___

_The perfection that I think I need__  
__That every girl dreams of__  
__The fairytale, the mystery__  
__Of something they call love_

I had to pause the song there. With all the feelings and stuff, I felt like I would explode. I shook my head quickly, as if to clear my head, but that didn't help at all. I decided to instead head back inside. Being in the gazebo was lonely, and I couldn't help but wonder why she left. All I knew, was that come Monday, I would find that girl, no matter how long it took.

**A/N: So there we go... I hope it wasn't too awful. The song used was actually written by me a few months ago, and because I'm a terrible song writer and didn't feel like trying to write a new song, I picked the one that fit the story best.******

**A huge thanks to everyone who has stood by me throughout my long periods of laziness.******

**Shout outs to:****  
****amandac1214****  
****Guest****  
****Gleeotch13****  
****jessi169****  
****LittleMusicalOwl****  
****eXtraOrdinaryGirl04****  
****Undercoverartist****  
****NerdBirdy****  
****sbelthur****  
****yarirzaolivares****  
****barefootgirl118****  
****Jennoist-OTP******

**To everyone listed above: Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows.******

**To everyone reading this who is not listed above: See that little button there? The one that says 'Review'? It would absolutely make my day if you guys would tap/click that button. Oh, and the ones that say follow and favorite. I will love you forever!**

**Btw, could anyone tell which two Taylor Swift songs I was hinting at? The second was more obvious. My friend, who has helped me with writing some of Kitty's parts before, is a huge Taylor Swift fan, so I figured I'd add some for her.**

**Also, what did you guys think of the song? Was it okay, or should I never write another song? Please be honest! I really **_**really **_**want honest feedback, and I trust you guys.******

**Love you all!****  
****XOXO****  
****-Lauren**


	11. Not a Chapter

Note

Hey guys. I'm so sorry that its been a while since my last update. Unfortunately, I have been having some technical difficulties. All my work I've done recently, including chapters 10, 11, and 12. That means, I have to rewrite everything. Hopefully though I will have it all rewritten soon. Trust me, I'm doing everything I can to make this short hiatus shorter. In fact, I am currently hyped up on Red Bull and throwing my own Cinderella Story movie marathon.

Once again, thank you for sticking by me through everything!

XOXO

-Lauren


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Marley's POV:

"So go through this with me one more time."

I sighed. Unique and I were currently camped out in the food court of the Lima Mall, feet surrounded by bags upon bags of new clothes and shoes. I kept lazily shoving French fries in my mouth. So what if they were unhealthy? I needed the comfort food. We had been shopping all day, ever since I called Unique from that landline (I didn't even know those still existed), and she had recommended some serious retail therapy. I was honestly willing to try anything to take my mind off of it.

Picked another French fry out of my basket, but instead of popping it in my mouth like all the others, I carelessly flung it in Unique's direction. Fortunately for her, she saw it coming and ducked out of the way of the flying food. I groaned.

"Unique, he still has no clue who I am, and now he has my phone too!" I wailed.

She paused for a second, considering what to say. She avoided my gaze, allowing her eyes to dart around the food court. Just as quickly as she started, her eyes stopped. Her eyes nearly doubled in size before flickering back to me.

"What are you looking at?" I asked.

"Prince Charming, 2 o'clock," she hissed.

"What?"

"And he's got your sister with him."

I looked to my right, not seeing a thing.

"My 2 o'clock Marls," Unique chuckled. Oh. Well she should've been clearer. I looked over my left shoulder, only to see my wicked sister and the man of my dreams.

My breath caught in my throat and I quickly ducked under the table. There were a few minutes of undistinguishable, overlapping shouting, followed by silence, and I thought it was safe to return to my seat. That is, until I heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, you're Unique, right?" Ryder asked.

I didn't hear a response, so I could only imagine that she nodded.

After a few more seconds, he asked: "So, can I sit down?"

I grimaced in my spot under the table. How was I going to explain me being under a table? I'm already crazy as it is, I know that, but I didn't need him to know that. Thinking as quickly as I could, I undid the clip on my bracelet.

Just as he started to pull out one of the other chairs at the table, I popped my head back above the table, making Ryder jump.

"Marley?" I nodded quietly, somewhat embarrassed. "What were you doing under the table?"

I smiled shyly, and held up my bracelet.

"I uh...dropped this. I was just, ya know...picking it up," I managed to stutter out.

Unique, noticing my awkwardness, decided to save me. Thank god for that/

"So Ryder, what are you doing over here? Weren't you just over there with Kitty?" She asked him.

He sighed, his mind obviously somewhere else.

"She and I just broke up."

Unique and I were both struggling to mask our shock and excitement. Ryder and Kitty had been the school's most popular—and also the fakest—couple since their freshman year apparently. The two of them breaking up was a big deal. It was great for me though, since without Kitty in the picture, Ryder was single and looking for his mystery girl, also known as me.

"Really? Why? You guys always seemed so perfect together!" I nearly shouted at him. So I shout when I get nervous. Big deal.

He smiled inwardly. "There's uh...there's someone else."

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. Did he really mean me? Or was this 'someone else' really someone else. He looked down at my hand, and only then did I realize that I was still holding my bracelet in my left hand.

"Do you want me to help you put it on?" He asked sweetly. I mentally swooned. Who said chivalry was dead?

I nodded, not trusting my own words. As he fastened the bracelet around my wrist, his fingers brushed against my skin, causing my cheeks to turn a light shade of pink. We sat there for a moment or two, staring into each other's eyes.

Our moment was soon shattered by Unique clearing her throat rather loudly. I sent her a quick death glare before letting out a breath I didn't notice I was holding.

Ryder quickly shook his head, as if shaking off the trance we were both obviously in.

"So uh...I should probably, ya know, go," he stumbled over his words.

He stood up and pushed in his chair. Then, he turned on his heel and walked away, looking back over his shoulder and waving to us-mostly me.

I soon started to resent his leaving, simply because he left me to endure Unique's fangirling.

"Eeeek!" She squealed. "I ship you two so freaking hard!"

"You what?"

"I ship you!" She must've noticed how confused I was, and decided to elaborate. "I mean, that I like, root for you as a couple, ya know, I think you two are cute together."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Come on Dorkasauras, we still have homework to finish."

She threw her head back and groaned. I chuckled at her.

"Oh Unique, what on earth would I do without you?" I asked jokingly.

"You'd be so bored and lame that you'd just die," She shot back.

I picked up a French fry and threw it in her direction, actually hitting her this time.

-

Monday Morning:

"Good morning students and staff members," the school receptionist began the morning announcements, as monotone-sounding as ever. Every morning was the same, the football players put up a good fight in their game this weekend, only losing by 20 or so points. The Cheerios made another ridiculous TV appearance on a show that nobody really watches anyway. Lunch today will be virtually inedible, but you're still going to have to eat it, so suck it up. I must have spaced out a bit, because the next thing I heard was a very familiar voice. I couldn't quite place it, as it was masked slightly by the static of the old PA system, but I figured it out pretty quickly.

It wasn't who it was that made me fall out of my seat; it was what they said that did it.

**Hehe cliffhanger! Once again, huge thanks to everyone supporting this story! I love you all so much, you all support me, despite my horrible updating habits.**

So I have some news! One good, one bad, and one just kinda fun.

Good news first:

So I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but in case I haven't, I'm a competitive dancer. I recently switched studios, which was actually pretty dramatic, and I've learned to hate the term 'studio hopper', but I have been offered a spot on the new studio's junior elite jazz team, which is really competitive and exciting.

The bad news:

If I take this spot though, I won't have much time for writing, between rehearsals and monthly competitions.

On a lighter note, I recently made a Twitter account, so make sure to follow me, to get a peek into my writing/updating, my hectic dance life, and my overall insanity! My username is XxX_LaurenE

Special thanks to:

Guests (Each and every one of you mean a lot to me, and I wish I could have some way to identify you all)

Jennoist-OTP (I seriously adore you)

Reflections of Twilight (I can't wait for 8/20!)

CamrynLynn19 (Thanks so much for favoriting!)

Talking like a Lion (Thanks so much for the review and PM)

VanillaDreamFran (Aww thank you! I'm slowly becoming more confident with my songwriting. In fact, there will be another song in the next chapter)

yarirzaolivares (Thanks so much for everything :) )

emmettcullenlover7 (Thanks for favoriting!)

rotanrm (Thanks! I hope you like this chapter too!)

ChibiLova18 (Wowza! Thank you so much! You made me so happy!)

Iheartart13 (Oh my goodness, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I'm not sure how many chapters I could extend this, but I'll try my best. Don't worry though, there will be plenty of cuteness!)

KlaineForeverLover07 (Thanks for following and favoriting! You really made me happy!)

Glee1234321 (Thanks for the support!)

I love you all, you guys are the reason I do this, and I never in a million years expected for this story to be so popular! You people are amazing! Keep on rock in' Ryley fans!

XOXO

-Lauren


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